Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the moral law and the covenants, from the…Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the morall law and the covenants, from the…

But because a Covenant doth thus differ from a Testament, hence hath it troubled the Learned, why the Hebrew word, which signifieth a Covenant, should be translated by the Septuagint, [Greek or Hebrew], a Testament; and so the New Testament useth it in this sense: for, if it be a Covenant, how can it be a Testament, which implieth no consent? Let us answer first to the word, and then to the matter. Therefore is a Covenant called [Greek or Hebrew], a Testament, and not [Greek or Hebrew] (as Aquila translates it) because this word is of a large sense, coming from [Greek or Hebrew], to order and dispose: and when we say, the New or Old Testament, it is not to be taken so strictly, as we call a mans Will and Testament, though sometimes the Apostle doth, in reference to Christs death; but more largely, for Gods gracious ordering of such mercies and spiritual benefits to us, by the death of Christ: for the Covenant of grace implieth Christs death, it being a Covenant of reconciliation. Now, because there is in the Covenant of grace something of a Covenant, and something of a Testament also, hence some do call it a Testament-Covenant, because it is of a mixed nature. The rise of the Hebrew word Berith is variously conjectured: some make it to come from a word that signifieth to eat, because of the sacrifices and feasts that were at a Covenant: some from a word that signifieth to cut, because then in the striking of the Covenant, there was a division of the beast that was killed: some from the word that signifieth to create, as also to order and dispose things by way of likeness: some from a word that signifieth to be pure, and to choose, either because it's by agreement, or because in Covenants they ought to deal without all fraud: but I stand not upon these things.

But because a Covenant doth thus differ from a Testament, hence hath it troubled the Learned, why the Hebrew word, which signifieth a Covenant, should be translated by the Septuagint, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a Testament; and so the New Testament useth it in this sense: for, if it be a Covenant, how can it be a Testament, which implyeth no consent? Let us answer first to the word, and then to the matter. Therefore is a Covenant called 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a Testament, and not 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 (as Aquila translates it) because this word is of a large sense, coming from 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, to order and dispose: and when we say, the New or Old Testament, it is not to be taken so strictly, as we call a mans Will and Testament, though sometimes the Apostle doth, in reference to Christs death; but more largely, for Gods gracious ordering of such mercies and spirituall benefits to us, by the death of Christ: for the Covenant of grace implyeth Christs death, it being a Covenant of reconciliation. Now, because there is in the Covenant of grace something of a Covenant, and something of a Testament also, hence some do call it a Testament-Covenant, because it is of a mixt nature. The rise of the Hebrew word Berith is variously conjectured: some make it to come from a word that signifieth to eat, because of the sacrifices and feasts that were at a Covenant: some from a word that signifieth to cut, because then in the striking of the Covenant, there was a division of the beast that was killed: some from the word that signifieth to create, as also to order and dispose things by way of likenesse: some from a word that signifieth to be pure, and to choose, either because it's by agreement, or because in Covenants they ought to deal without all fraud: but I stand not upon these things.